[sollp]

Originally Posted by MrDuck

Thanks for your encouraging words.

It's hard to know what the engineers should be doing from this end. The last one just looked puzzled and told me that he wasn't sure what the problem was! He did have a T-shaped, yellow test meter in a grey case and did test the signal levels with that. I have thought since then that even if the meter shows 'good' readings that the modem might still be having problems as the electronics might not be up to the same standard as the test equipment. Do the meters actually simulate modem negotiation upstream as the DOCSIS standard requires? If the modem shows 61dBmV then that is the level the modem requires to make a connection, so it's maxed out and on the edge of a nervous breakdown - much like myself as far as BB goes. 'Scuse me if I'm talking gibberish as I'm not NTL compliant.

Thing is they might have realised but thought that it could be cabling etc. and have left the worst (most expensive fix?) till last. Although, I have not heard them mention the return path specifically, so will highlight it this time.

I did notice that the connection uptime improved today as the sunlight moved off the cabinet. It is in shadow for 2/3 of the day. Somebody else mentioned that heat can cause problems with some (failing?) equipment. Could just be coincidence.

One last thing - nobody in TS or CS seems to know whether 'network engineers' exist or not. I have asked for confirmation and they have said that they don't actually know the answer or that there is only one type of engineer. I did then ask who fixes the UBRs and network equipment etc. and they just went quiet on me ... lol. So as a customer, I feel that I'm hitting a brick wall. Is it possible to be transferred through to a person who is specifically technical as opposed to being baseline support?

Thanks again.

Well your question about there being any network engineers to the CS and the response or lack of it does not surprise me at all. Without wanting any sympathy this is about the whole attitude of most people in NTL, they haven't a clue what we are, who we are, what we do ect.

Anyway back to your problem, yes the meter that the service technician will have will only measure the forward downstream levels in a very basic way,(these meters were recently purchased and would have been excellent when CATV service started with analogue about 15years ago, but thats another story) they cannot measure the upstream frquencies or test the power levels as they haven't the equipment to do this,(again certain service technicians in some areas did have the ability to do this but when these new meters, as previously mentioned were purchased they decided to take this test equipment off of those Tech's who had them so that all Tech's accross the country had the same basic test equipment regardless of wheather the what they had previous was far superior but maybe older,again that is another story).

So what they have to rely on is the diagnostics on the STB or modem to tell them what the device is connecting at back at the UBR or intersect, unfortunately some STB's and modems might be faulty and not give a true reading so can be misleading,(obviously NTL have got rid of test equipment or buying any more in favour of the service Tech using the diagnostics on the STB or modem to fault find or give them a clue as to what it is connecting at?).

Until it is recognised that you have a problem with the return path you will still have a problem. So unfortunately you need to ring again and try and convince them that there is a problem still.